Birmingham City 0-0 Swansea City

Birmingham City did have the ball in the net in the first half – but the goal was ruled out by the referee

Birmingham City failed to find a way past Swansea City despite dominating their Championship encounter.

Blues had six excellent chances in the first half and a goal ruled out after Michael Morrison was adjudged to have fouled Swansea’s debutant goalkeeper Erwin Mulder.

The home side continued to be in control after the break but could not create a clear-cut chance as Omar Bogle headed wide and Che Adams blazed over.

Martin Olsson defended well to clear Jacques Maghoma’s teasing cross as Swansea failed to register an effort on target in the game.

How Birmingham City were not out of sight before half-time will have been a mystery to many at St Andrew’s.

In the first half Blues had 14 shots and five on target, while Swansea – who won their first two league games – failed to trouble Birmingham’s debutant keeper Lee Camp.

In the opening 45 minutes, Bogle had two great chances, Maghoma had a close-range effort deflected wide and Lukas Jutkiewicz shot wide from 10 yards, while Mulder made a great save from Harlee Dean’s header.

While Garry Monk will be encouraged at the chances his side created, Swansea’s lack of creativity up front will be a worry for boss Graham Potter.

Bogle had a header which went over while his replacement Adams blasted a close-range far-post effort over the bar from a tight angle with 11 minutes to go.

Birmingham boss Garry Monk told BBC WM:

“All you can ask for as a manager is your players to go out there and perform, and show that level of fight, spirit and quality, and that’s what we got tonight.

“We deserved to win that game, we were so dominant – especially in that first half and even in the second half.

“It was very clear cut in terms of deserving to win that game, but I can’t be critical of the players. I was very proud of that performance.”

Swansea boss Graham Potter told BBC Sport Wales:

“I will be the happier of the two managers, that is for sure. Over the course of the game Birmingham deserved to win the match.

“But we hung in, stabilised things in the second half and sometimes you have to take what you can get.